Latest news with #SeedSoundsWeekender
Leader Live
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
The 1975's Matty Healy warns of ‘cultural erasure' as he backs small venue event
The Seed Sounds Weekender, which will take place September 26-28, will see more than 2,000 gigs take place in more than 1,000 venues in an attempt to unite small venues. Speaking of the event, Healy told the PA news agency: 'The political neglect behind this crisis, steadily hollowing out arts funding and cultural infrastructure is a class war by omission. 'Councils across England have slashed arts budgets by 20% to 30% over the last decade. Without government-led reforms – like a mandatory stadium-and-arena ticket levy, VAT relief, business rates reform, and real investment in venue survival – this ecosystem collapses. 'The UK music industry delivers £5.2 billion to the economy, supports 228,000 jobs, and exports its soft power globally – but its entire pipeline starts in those 150‑capacity rooms above pubs. 'Lose them, and you aren't just losing venues – you are losing the conditions that made all that possible. That is cultural erasure, and it will not come back. 'And that's precisely why movements like the Seed Sounds Weekender are so important, this festival isn't just a celebration, it's about uniting and sustaining this network, ensuring that art isn't just for the privileged, and that Britain's unique, musical heartbeat keeps beating.' Last year, the Music Venue Trust's annual report warned that, in 2023, 22.4% of venues closed as a result of 'operational issues', while 42.1% of its members reported 'financial issues'. Just last month, Sheffield's well-known Leadmill venue saw its last gig in its current form, after losing a long-running eviction battle with its landlord, the Electric Group, with singer Miles Kane performing on June 27. Tickets for most of the gigs which take place as part of the Seed Sounds Weekender will be free, with events taking place across 20 UK towns and cities including London, Liverpool and Manchester. Healy added: 'Local venues aren't just where bands cut their teeth – they're the foundational infrastructure of our culture. Without them, you don't get The Smiths, Idles, Little Simz, or Wet Leg, you get silence. 'Since 2007, we've lost 38% of UK grassroots music venues – over 1,200 of them – and venue closures continue at a frightening pace. In 2023 alone, 125 venues shut down, and right now two venues are closing every month. 'These rooms barely scrape by, average profit margins are just 0.5% – under £3,000 per year – and nearly 44% operate at a loss. The sector effectively subsidises live music by £162 million annually. 'That means communities across the country: working-class towns; inner cities; regional centres; lose their only accessible creative spaces. 'When that happens, the only art that thrives is the art already bankrolled, safe, sanitised, and profitable. Art becomes a luxury for the privileged.' Organised by live music marketplace GigPig, the event will partner with Uber to give attendees discounted rides to and from gig venues, with tickets available from the Seed Sounds Weekender website. It comes after Healy and his band recently headlined the 2025 edition of Glastonbury Festival, having achieved five UK number one albums and 12 UK hit singles. The 1975 are best known for songs such as Chocolate, The Sound and Love Me.
Metro
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Huge British rockstar launches UK's largest multi-venue music festival
Matty Healy has backed a brand new British music festival that will take place in venues across the UK. The Seed Sounds Weekenders will see more than 2,000 gigs take place in 1,000 pubs, bars, and restaurants in a bid to celebrate the arts in Britain. It will take place from September 26 to 28, with performances from local artists, spotlighting venues that played a crucial part in launching the careers of many of our favourite artists. The festival launches with support from The 1975 frontman, 36, who will act as an ambassador for Seed Sounds Weekend. 'Local venues aren't just where bands cut their teeth, they're the foundation of any real culture,' the About You hitmaker said in a statement. 'Without them, you don't get The Smiths, Amy Winehouse, or The 1975. You get silence. The erosion of funding for seed and grassroots spaces is part of a wider liberal tendency to strip away the socially democratic infrastructure that actually makes art possible.' He went on to say that because of this, we are left with a landscape where 'only the privileged can afford to create.' 'The Seed Sounds Weekender is a vital reminder that music doesn't start in boardrooms or big arenas; it starts in back rooms, pubs, basements, and independent spaces run on love, grit, and belief in something bigger.' A full list of venues and artists taking part is available at Tickets are available now. Speaking ahead of the event, GigPig co-founder Kit Muir-Rogers said that seed venues in the UK are 'where music careers are born.' 'Collectively, this space promotes more music than any other in the live music business, yet it has gone overlooked and underappreciated,' he continued. Birmingham Bournemouth Coventry Edinburgh Exeter Glasgow Harrogate Leeds Leicester Liverpool London Manchester Middlesbrough Newcastle Nottingham Oxford Sheffield Southampton Sunderland York 'The Seed Sounds Weekender is not just a festival; it's a rallying point for a sector that deserves to be celebrated for its immense contribution to British music.' The 1975 was formed in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in 2002 by Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer George Daniel. More Trending From the beginning, when the members were in secondary school, the 1975 went on to become one of Britain's biggest pop rock groups, winning numerous accolades, including four Brit Awards. They have been heavily praised by the likes of Robbie Williams and Justin Hawkins for their musical style, with the Evening Standard hailing them the 'most compelling pop band on the planet' in 2023 The group headlined this year's Glastonbury Festival alongside Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo. Seed Sounds Weekender will take place in venues across the UK from September 26 to 28. More information and tickets are available here . Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Rock band reschedule and cancel handful of shows to 'grieve' Ozzy Osbourne MORE: Major music festival with A-list headliners cancelled at the last minute MORE: Olly Murs has a surprising reaction after losing his wedding ring days after anniversary
Daily Mirror
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
The 1975's Matty Healy warns of 'cultural erasure' as he backs support for small venues
The 1975 star Matty Healy has spoke out on 'a class war by omission' as he backed new event Seed Sounds Weekender that aims to support small music venues in the UK The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has thrown his support behind a small venue event as he warns of "cultural erasure". The singer has backed a new festival which aims to support small music venues as they struggle to survive. The Seed Sounds Weekender will take place on 26 to 28 September will see more than 2,000 gigs take place in more than 1,000 venues in an attempt to unite small venues. In response to the event, Glastonbury headliner Matty said: 'The political neglect behind this crisis, steadily hollowing out arts funding and cultural infrastructure is a class war by omission. 'Councils across England have slashed arts budgets by 20% to 30% over the last decade. Without government-led reforms – like a mandatory stadium-and-arena ticket levy, VAT relief, business rates reform, and real investment in venue survival – this ecosystem collapses." He added to PA News Agency: 'The UK music industry delivers £5.2 billion to the economy, supports 228,000 jobs, and exports its soft power globally – but its entire pipeline starts in those 150‑capacity rooms above pubs. 'Lose them, and you aren't just losing venues – you are losing the conditions that made all that possible. That is cultural erasure, and it will not come back. 'And that's precisely why movements like the Seed Sounds Weekender are so important, this festival isn't just a celebration, it's about uniting and sustaining this network, ensuring that art isn't just for the privileged, and that Britain's unique, musical heartbeat keeps beating.' The Music Venue Trust's annual report warned that, in 2023, 22.4% of venues closed as a result of 'operational issues', while 42.1% of its members reported 'financial issues'. Last month, the music scene was rocked by the closure of the Leadmill in Sheffield, which was a well-known and loved venue in the city. It lost a long-running eviction battle with its landlord, the Electric Group. Seed Sounds Weekender's gigs will be mostly free, with events taking place across 20 towns and cities in the UK. 'Local venues aren't just where bands cut their teeth – they're the foundational infrastructure of our culture," Matty urged. "Without them, you don't get The Smiths, Idles, Little Simz, or Wet Leg, you get silence. Since 2007, we've lost 38% of UK grassroots music venues – over 1,200 of them – and venue closures continue at a frightening pace. In 2023 alone, 125 venues shut down, and right now two venues are closing every month. 'These rooms barely scrape by, average profit margins are just 0.5% – under £3,000 per year – and nearly 44% operate at a loss. The sector effectively subsidises live music by £162 million annually. 'That means communities across the country: working-class towns; inner cities; regional centres; lose their only accessible creative spaces. When that happens, the only art that thrives is the art already bankrolled, safe, sanitised, and profitable. Art becomes a luxury for the privileged.'
North Wales Chronicle
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
The 1975's Matty Healy warns of ‘cultural erasure' as he backs small venue event
The Seed Sounds Weekender, which will take place September 26-28, will see more than 2,000 gigs take place in more than 1,000 venues in an attempt to unite small venues. Speaking of the event, Healy told the PA news agency: 'The political neglect behind this crisis, steadily hollowing out arts funding and cultural infrastructure is a class war by omission. 'Councils across England have slashed arts budgets by 20% to 30% over the last decade. Without government-led reforms – like a mandatory stadium-and-arena ticket levy, VAT relief, business rates reform, and real investment in venue survival – this ecosystem collapses. 'The UK music industry delivers £5.2 billion to the economy, supports 228,000 jobs, and exports its soft power globally – but its entire pipeline starts in those 150‑capacity rooms above pubs. 'Lose them, and you aren't just losing venues – you are losing the conditions that made all that possible. That is cultural erasure, and it will not come back. 'And that's precisely why movements like the Seed Sounds Weekender are so important, this festival isn't just a celebration, it's about uniting and sustaining this network, ensuring that art isn't just for the privileged, and that Britain's unique, musical heartbeat keeps beating.' Last year, the Music Venue Trust's annual report warned that, in 2023, 22.4% of venues closed as a result of 'operational issues', while 42.1% of its members reported 'financial issues'. Just last month, Sheffield's well-known Leadmill venue saw its last gig in its current form, after losing a long-running eviction battle with its landlord, the Electric Group, with singer Miles Kane performing on June 27. Tickets for most of the gigs which take place as part of the Seed Sounds Weekender will be free, with events taking place across 20 UK towns and cities including London, Liverpool and Manchester. Healy added: 'Local venues aren't just where bands cut their teeth – they're the foundational infrastructure of our culture. Without them, you don't get The Smiths, Idles, Little Simz, or Wet Leg, you get silence. 'Since 2007, we've lost 38% of UK grassroots music venues – over 1,200 of them – and venue closures continue at a frightening pace. In 2023 alone, 125 venues shut down, and right now two venues are closing every month. 'These rooms barely scrape by, average profit margins are just 0.5% – under £3,000 per year – and nearly 44% operate at a loss. The sector effectively subsidises live music by £162 million annually. 'That means communities across the country: working-class towns; inner cities; regional centres; lose their only accessible creative spaces. 'When that happens, the only art that thrives is the art already bankrolled, safe, sanitised, and profitable. Art becomes a luxury for the privileged.' Organised by live music marketplace GigPig, the event will partner with Uber to give attendees discounted rides to and from gig venues, with tickets available from the Seed Sounds Weekender website. It comes after Healy and his band recently headlined the 2025 edition of Glastonbury Festival, having achieved five UK number one albums and 12 UK hit singles. The 1975 are best known for songs such as Chocolate, The Sound and Love Me.
The Herald Scotland
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
The 1975's Matty Healy warns of ‘cultural erasure' as he backs small venue event
Speaking of the event, Healy told the PA news agency: 'The political neglect behind this crisis, steadily hollowing out arts funding and cultural infrastructure is a class war by omission. 'Councils across England have slashed arts budgets by 20% to 30% over the last decade. Without government-led reforms – like a mandatory stadium-and-arena ticket levy, VAT relief, business rates reform, and real investment in venue survival – this ecosystem collapses. Matty Healy on stage at the Glastonbury Festival (Yui Mok/PA) 'The UK music industry delivers £5.2 billion to the economy, supports 228,000 jobs, and exports its soft power globally – but its entire pipeline starts in those 150‑capacity rooms above pubs. 'Lose them, and you aren't just losing venues – you are losing the conditions that made all that possible. That is cultural erasure, and it will not come back. 'And that's precisely why movements like the Seed Sounds Weekender are so important, this festival isn't just a celebration, it's about uniting and sustaining this network, ensuring that art isn't just for the privileged, and that Britain's unique, musical heartbeat keeps beating.' Last year, the Music Venue Trust's annual report warned that, in 2023, 22.4% of venues closed as a result of 'operational issues', while 42.1% of its members reported 'financial issues'. Just last month, Sheffield's well-known Leadmill venue saw its last gig in its current form, after losing a long-running eviction battle with its landlord, the Electric Group, with singer Miles Kane performing on June 27. Tickets for most of the gigs which take place as part of the Seed Sounds Weekender will be free, with events taking place across 20 UK towns and cities including London, Liverpool and Manchester. Healy added: 'Local venues aren't just where bands cut their teeth – they're the foundational infrastructure of our culture. Without them, you don't get The Smiths, Idles, Little Simz, or Wet Leg, you get silence. 'Since 2007, we've lost 38% of UK grassroots music venues – over 1,200 of them – and venue closures continue at a frightening pace. In 2023 alone, 125 venues shut down, and right now two venues are closing every month. 'These rooms barely scrape by, average profit margins are just 0.5% – under £3,000 per year – and nearly 44% operate at a loss. The sector effectively subsidises live music by £162 million annually. 'That means communities across the country: working-class towns; inner cities; regional centres; lose their only accessible creative spaces. 'When that happens, the only art that thrives is the art already bankrolled, safe, sanitised, and profitable. Art becomes a luxury for the privileged.' Organised by live music marketplace GigPig, the event will partner with Uber to give attendees discounted rides to and from gig venues, with tickets available from the Seed Sounds Weekender website. It comes after Healy and his band recently headlined the 2025 edition of Glastonbury Festival, having achieved five UK number one albums and 12 UK hit singles. The 1975 are best known for songs such as Chocolate, The Sound and Love Me.
